Apparatus for handling counter blanks



Novl, 1955 J. K. HoLYoAK Erm.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING COUNTER BLANKs Nov. l, 1955 Filed Nov. 25. 1952 J. K. HOLYOAK ET AL APPARATUS FOR HANDLING COUNTER BLANKS 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 1, 1955 Filed. NOV. 25, 1952 J. K. HOLYOAK ET AL APPARATUS FOR HANDLING COUNTER BLANKS l2 Sheets-Sheet 3 [n uen tors Nav. 1, 1955 J. K. HoLYoAK x-:r AL 2,722,023

APPARATUS FoR HANDLING COUNTER BLANKS Filed Nov. 25, 1952 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 444 444 F119' 5 O o o /ZW 54 72 454 VfL/66 J 496 /80 /z 7p 444 a In ven t0 rs NOV- 1, 1955 J. K. HoLYoAK ErAL 2,722,023

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING COUNTER BLANKS NOV- l, 1955 J. K. HoLYoAK ETAL 2,722,023

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING COUNTER BLANKS Filed NOV. 25, 1952 `12 Sheets-Sheet 6 fn ventors NOV. l, J. K HOLYOAK TAL APPARATUS FOR HANDLING COUNTER BLANKS Filed Nov. 25, 1952 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 NOV. 1, 1955 1 K HOLYOAK TAL 2,722,023

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING COUNTER BLANKS Filed NOV. 25, 1952 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 Nav. l, 1955 J. K. HoLYoAK Erm. 2,722,023

APPARATUS RoR HANDLING COUNTER BLANKS Filed Nov. 25, 1952 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 Ill [n ven tors Nov. l, 1955 .1. K. HoLYoAK TAL 2,722,023

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING COUNTER BLANKS Filed Nov. 25. 1952 12 Sheets-Sheet lO Egg- In ve n t ors J/w Aeg/@alf Josep/9 Robbins /Vllz'czm A Smart Nov. 1, 1955 J. K. HoLYoAK ETAL '2,722,023

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING COUNTER BLANKS Filed Nov. 25, 1952 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 @n "@ginnnn L Xgl.,

706, 0 Inventors 704 JO/m /f f/o/yOa/f Josep/1 Robbins Wil/iam AS'ma/t 702 iii@ 1539,22 g lililfgi/ 7/4 NOV- 1, 1955 J. K. HoLYoAK :TAL 2,722,023

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING COUNTER BLANKs Filed Nov. 25, 1952 12 sneetssheet 12 United States Patent O APPARATUS FOR HANDLING COUNTER BLANKS John Keith Holyoak, Joseph Robbins, William Arnold Smart, and Alfred Edward Wills, Leicester, England, assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 25, 1952, Serial No. 322,452

Claims priority, application Great Britain December 7, 1951 5 Claims. (Cl. 12-61) This invention relates to apparatus for handling counter blanks, and is herein illustrated as embodied in a novel and improved counter handling apparatus which is adapted for use in conjunction with a counter molding machine of the type disclosed `in UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 1,742,300 granted January 7, 1930, on an application filed in the name of L. H. Bennion. It should be understood, however, that certain features of this invention are not limited in their utility to use with this particular type of molding machine or to embodiment in the exact mechanical construction herein disclosed.

It has been hitherto proposed, as for example, the disclosure in United States Letters Patent No. 1,517,695 granted December 2, 1924, on an application tiled in the name of A. E. Ayer, to provide apparatus for separating counter blanks from a stack or magazine seriatim, forming them into a U shape and inserting them in a presenting device which presents or inserts the blank into the molding machine. It is a principal object of this invention to provide a novel and improved apparatus of a type which is especially reliable and etfective'in operation, easy to use and particularly well adapted for use in conjunction with a molding machine of the aforementioned type, wherein blanks are stacked on a platform, separated one at a time, bent substantially into a U shape, and transferred to a presenting device which inserts the blank in the molding dies of the molding machine.

With this purpose in View, the herein illustrated apparatus has a loading platform, or magazine for receiving and holding a stack of blanks, lifting fingers for separating individual blanks from the stack on the loading platform, grippers mounted on a horizontally and vertically movable carriage for receiving a blank thus separated, which are adapted to rotate inwardly to bend the blank into a U shape preferably as the grippers are moved rearwardly and downwardly to insert the blank in a presenting device which is arranged automatically to grip the preformed blank and present it to the operative elements of the associated molding machine. Thus, with the improved apparatus the operator is required only to keep the loading platform or magazine suitably supplied with blanks while both the counter blank handling apparatus and the molding machine operate continuously.

More particularly, the loading platform comprises a generally horizontal platform for receiving a stack of blanks. This platform is provided with a longitudinal rib which is adapted to fit notches in the individual blanks and to locate the stack of blanks laterally of the machine. Optionally, adjustable side rails may be provided on the platform to avoid tilting of counter blanks having concave lower edges. Attached to the rear of the platform are positive stops arranged to engage and so to locate the stack of blanks on the platform. Associated with the front of the platform are two members independently'capable of exerting a yielding force on the stackof blanks to movable and the other member being bothhorizontally ICC and vertically movable. With this arrangement the supply of blanks may be readily replenished Without interrupting the operation of the apparatus as a whole. This is done by manually retracting one of the yielding members and inserting a new stack of blanks on the table, then releasing that member and lifting the other member from between the old and new supplies and displacing it to the forward end of the new stack and allowing it to apply its yielding force thereto.

For separating the individual blanks one by one from the stack on the loading platform the herein illustrated machine is provided with a plurality of lifting fingers adapted to reciprocate vertically adjacent to the end of the stack which is held against the positive stops. Preferably the lingers are provided with shoulders of a width slightly less than the thickness of the individual blanks so that as the lingers are raised vertically the bottom of the rearmost blank is engaged by the shoulder and thereby lifted and separated from the stack. The upper extretnities of these fingers are provided with a sloping surface, preferably in the form of a roll, to prevent inadvertentA displacement ,of a counter blank before it is engaged by the shoulders.

As each blank is thus separated from the stack, it is seized by the grippers which are operated to bend the blank into a U shape and transfer it to the presenting device. In the herein illustrated machine the grippers are normally closed under spring pressure, and means are provided for opening these grippers so that they may receive and release the blanks. Preferably, a spike is embedded in one jaw of each gripper with an opposing recess in the other jaw for more positive grippage of the blanks. The grippers are mounted on a carriage, which is movable horizontally and vertically, in such a manner that they rotate as they are swung inwardly. Means are also provided for adjusting the initial angular position of the grippers to accommodate various sizes and styles of counters. Mechanism for controlling the swinging. of the grippers is provided, and this mechanism is constructed so that it is operable while either horizontal or vertical movement is imparted to the gripper carriage. Thus the blank separated from the stack on the loading platform is seized by the grippers and transported rearwardly of the machine and at the same time it is bent substantially into a U shape by the inward movement of the grippers. Also associated with the grippers is a device which clears from the grippers any counter blank which may have accidently remained therein from a prior cycle. This device operates immediately before a new blank is received from the separating means andl while the gripper jaws are being held open.

Associated with the gripper carriage and located rearwardly of it is a presenting device of the type substantially as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,178,133 granted October 31, 1939, on an application filed in the name of L. H. Bennion et al., modified, in some respects, for automatic operation in accordance with this invention. Thus, a latching mechanism is provided which holds the jaws of the presenting device normally open so that the counter blank may be inserted between these jaws by the motion of the gripper carriage. After insertion a slight further motion of the gripper carriage` the ange former of the counter molding machine which Thereafter, the gripper carriage is re? resets the latch to hold open the jaws of the presenting device so that the presenting device is ready to vbegin a new cycle when it returns to its position immediately to the rear of the gripper mechanism.

These and other objects and features of the invention will be more readily understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of apparatus embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a View in rear elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are a series of views showing the operational sequence of a separator and gripper mechanism forming a part of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 7 is a view in end elevation, with certain parts in vertical section, illustrating an optional construction of the loading platform of the apparatus;

Fi'g. 8 is a view in side elevation, with certain parts in vertical section, of the operative parts of the separator mechanism;

Fig. 8a illustrates an optional construction of the lifting fingers;

Fig. 9 is a plan View with certain parts in horizontal section substantially on section line IX-IX in Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figs. 10, ll, l2 and 13 are detailed views of one of the grippers and its operating mechanism;

Fig. 14 is a plan view of the gripper carrier, with certain parts in section on section line XIV--XIV in Fig. 2;

Fig. l5 is a view in side elevation of power transmission elements associated with the gripper carrier;

Fig. 16 is a detailed view of one of the gripper clearing mechanisms;

Fig. 17 is a perspective View, on an enlarged scale of the presenting device as viewed from the side opposite to that of Fig. 1;

Fig. 18 is a view in side elevation of the presenting device;

Fig. 19 is a plan view of a presenting device;

Fig. 20 is a view in front elevation of a portion of the presenting device;

y Fig. 2l is a view of one of the elements of the apparatus shown in horizontal section substantially on line XXI--XXI on Fig. 18;

Fig. 22 is a View in side elevation showing the presenting device and its operating mechanism and illustrating a portion of the molding machine with which the apparatus is associated;

Fig. 23 is a perspective view of a finished counter molded by the machine; and

Fig. 24 is a timing chart.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly Figs. 1 and 22 thereof, the novel counter blank handling apparatus of this invention is illustrated as applied to a counter blank molding machine of the type disclosed in the aforementioned Bennion patents. The illustrated machine is provided with a loading platform 50 (Figs. l and 2) for receiving and holding a stack of counter blanks, fingers 180, 182 for separating individual blanks from the stack 70, grippers 268, 270 for receiving the blanks thus separated and for transforming the blanks while bending them into a U-shape, a presenting device 572 which is adapted automatically to present the blanks to the molding machine. These various operative elements are supported on and operated by mechanisms associated with a frame construction which is mounted adjacent to the molding machine, in Fig. 22. The loading platform 50 which is of hollow box-like construction is mounted on legs 52 which are positioned in a fixed relationship to the counter molding machine. The platform comprises a relatively horizontal upper surface 5.4 QI.

receiving counter blanks, vertical side walls 56, 58 and a cross member 60, Fig. 2. A rib 62 (Figs. 1 and 7) attached centrally upon the surface 54 extends forwardly and rearwardly of the platform for locating the blanks laterally thereon. Attached to the rear of the loading platform 50 are a central positive stop 64 and outer positive stops 66, 68 which are arranged in a general arcuate path corresponding to the shape of the counter blanks, Fig. 9. Thus when a stack of counter blanks 70 having notches 72 (Fig. 5) in each blank corresponding to the cross section of the rib 62 is placed on the surface 54 of the platform which the notches engaging said rib and the end blank abutting the stops 64, 66, 68, the stack of blanks to be operated upon will be located relatively to the operating elements of the apparatus.

As an optional construction (Fig. 7), adjustable side rails or runners 74, 76 having an inward slope may be attached forwardly and rearwardly upon the surface 54 to prevent tipping of counter blanks, having concave lower edges. These rails are provided with counterbored transverse slots 78 and are fastened to the platform 50 by screws 80. Thus a greater or lesser amount of concavity in the counter blanks may be compensated for by inward or outward adjustment of the rails 74, 76.

For holding a stack of blanks in place on the loading platform 50 with the blank at the right-hand end of the stack urged yieldingly against the stops 64, 66, 68, the following arrangement is provided. A supporting bracket 82, having a stiffening web 86, is attached centrally to the platform 50 by screws 84. Attached to an upper projection of the bracket 82 by screws 92 is a lower guideway 88, and mounted centrally upon and above the lower guideway 88 on brackets 96 is an upper guideway 94. At the rear of the lower guideway is a bracket 97 to which is attached a guide rail 99 with a sloping forward end 101 for holding the blanks in contact with the surface 54 of the platform 50. A lower trolley 98 having rightand left-hand wheels rotatably mounted and running on a surface 102 of the lower guideway 88 is thus mounted for to-and-fro movement thereon. Connected to a stud pin 104, attached to the lower wall 106 of the trolley 98, is a flexible wire 108 which runs rearwardly and passes around a pulley 110, rotatably mounted in the lower guideway 88. This wire then runs forwardly and passes over a pulley 112, rotatably mounted in ears 114 formed on the bracket 82, from which it extends downwardly and has connected to its end a weight 116 which tends to urge the lower trolley 98 in a pin 118 to which is attached a flexible wire 120 which runs forwardly and over a pulley 121, rotatably mounted in a cavity 122 in the web 86. The lower end of the wire is connected to a foot treadle of a well-known construction (not shown). Thus by depressing the foot lever the trolley 98 may be positively moved forwardly on the guideway 88 against the resistance of the weight 116. Attached to the trolley 98 by screws 126 is an arm 124 which extends rearwardly and downwardly and has a vertical lip 128 formed at its extremity to which there is attached, by a screw 130, a central presser element 132. The presser element 132 is urged against the forward end of the stack of blanks 70, by the action of the weight 116, and thus holds the right-hand blank yieldingly in engagement with the positive stops 64, 66, 68. The presser element 132 can, when necessary, be moved forwardly, to the left, Fig. l, and out of engagement with the stack of blanks by depression of the aforementioned foot treadle.

An upper trolley 134 having rotatable wheels 136 running in slots 138 in the upper guideway 94 is mounted for to-and-fro movement thereon. Connected to a stud 140, mounted in an upper wall 142 of the trolley 134, is a exible wire 144 which runs rearwardly around a pulley 146 and then forwardly around another pulley v 148, both pulleys being rotatably mounted in ears 150 attached to the upper guideway 94. The wire 144 then runs downwardly and attached to its end is a weight 152 which urges the trolley 134 in a rearward direction to the right, Fig. 1. Projecting from the rightand lefthand sides of the trolley 134 are stub shafts 154 to which are pivotally attached levers 156. The upper extremities of the levers 156 are connected by a bracket 158 to which there is attached a handle 160. The lower extremities of the levers 158 are pivotally connected at 162 to rightand left-hand brackets 164. Attached to the trolley 134 are rightand left-hand lugs 166 to which links 168 are pivotally connected at 170. The lower extremities of the links 168, which are braced by a U- shaped bridge member 174, are pivotally connected to the respective brackets 164 at 172. Secured to the brackets 164 by screws 179 are rightand left-hand outer presser elements 176, 178 which are arranged to engage the forward end of the stack of blanks 70, the weight 152 acting upon the trolley causing these presser elements to maintain said stack yieldingly in engagement with the positive stops 64, 66, 68 independently of the force exerted by the central presser element 132.

With the above described linkage systems which control the central presser element 132 and the outer presser elements 176, 178, the supply of blanks may be replenished without interrupting the operation of the apparatus in the following manner. First, the aforementioned foot treadle is depressed, thereby retracting the central presser element 132 from the left-hand end of the stack and, a new stack of blanks is placed on the surface 54 of the platform 50, with the notches 72 in the blanks engaging the rib 62 attached to the platform. Next, the foot treadle is released so that the new stack of blanks is contained between the central presser element 132 and the outer presser elements 176, 178. The handle 160 is now swung in a counterclockwise direction, thus vertically extracting the outer presser elements 176, 178 from between the old and new supply of blanks through the parallel linkage formed by the brackets 164, links 168, levers 156 and the upper trolley 134. Finally by means of the handle 160, the outer presser elements are retracted forwardly, lowered and finally caused to bear against the forward end of the new supply of blanks. Thus, the rearmost blank is always urged against the positive stops 64, 66, 68 by the independent or combined force exerted by the central presser element 132 and/or the outer presser elements 176, 178.

For separating the rearmost blank from the stack 70, the following mechanism is provided. Rightand lefthand exible lifter fingers 180, 182 are located atthe rear of and normally below the surface 54 of the platform 50 (Fig. 2). Rolls 184 (Fig. 8) are rotatably mounted on the upper extremities of the lingers 180, 182 or as an optional feature an angular bend 186 (Fig. 8a) may be formed on these fingers. Also attached to the fingers 180, 182 are shoulder forming blocks 188 that project forwardly from the peripheral surfaces 190 of the rolls 184 slightly less than the thickness of a counter blank. Where the upper extremity of the fingers terminates in the angular bend 186 (Fig. 8a) a shoulder forming block 192 having a thickness slightly less than a counter blank is attached to the finger. The lingers 180, 182 are mounted by screws 194 to slides 196, 198 which are mounted for vertical movement in slots 200, 202 formed in projections 204 of the platform 50 (Figs. 2, 8 and 9). Racks 206, 207 are formed on the slides 196, 198 and mesh with pinions 208, 210 which are secured to a shaft 212 that is rotatably mounted in the projections 204 of the platform 50. Also secured to the shaft 212 is a pinion 214 which meshes with a rack 216 formed on a member 218 that is slidably mounted in a casing 220 which in turn is secured to cross bars 222, 224 extending between the side walls S6, 58 of the platform 50. A pin 226 is secured to the member 218 and passes through a slot 228 in the casing v220, a roll 230 being rotatably mounted on its extrem- 6 ity and riding in a bifurcated arm 232 of a three-armed lever 234 (Fig. 8). The lever 234 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 236 which extends transversely beneath the platform 50 and is secured to rightand left-hand brackets 238, 240 that are fastened to the side walls 56, 58 of the platform 50 by bolts 244 (Fig. l). Cam followers 246 and 248 are rotatably mounted at the extremities of the other two arms of the lever 234 bearing respectively against the surfaces 250 and 252 of the conjugate cam 254 which is secured to a shaft 256 rotatably mounted in `lower projections 257, 259 of brackets 238, 240 (Figs. 1 and l5). A pinion 258, secured to the shaft 256, meshes with another pinion 260 secured to one end of a shaft 262, rotatably mounted in the bracket 238 and having attached to its other end of the opposite side of the bracket 238 a sprocket 264 which engages a roller chain 266 connected to a power source (to be explained later) which causes the shaft 262 to rotate in a clockwise direction and the shaft 256 in a counterclockwise direction. In operation, the action of the conjugate cam 254 causes the lever 234 to oscillate thereby imparting sliding movement to the member 218 which rotates pinion 214 and shaft 212, such rotation imparting a vertical reciprocating motion to the slides 196, 198 and likewise to the fingers 180, 182. As the fingers 180, 182 move upwardly from the positions shown in Fig. 2 the rolls 184 on their upper ends contact the bottom of the rearmost blank in the stack 70 and roll over the lower edge of the blank, thereby' locating the fingers relatively to said blank in the event that the blank is slightly misplaced longitudinally on the platform 50, this rolling action eliminating any tendency of the fingers to displace the blank. Upon further movement of the fingers 180, 182 the shoulders 190 engage the bottom edge o-f said rearmost blank and lift or separate it from stack of blanks 70, see Figs. 3 and 4.

The grippers, which receive the separated blank and are indicated generally by the reference characters 268, 270 (Figs. 3-6) are normally located to the rear of the platform 50 and immediately above the rearmost blank in the stack 70. These grippers are mounted in the following manner. A gripper carriage support, indicated generally by the reference character 272 (Fig. 2), is formed by a horizontal casting 274, located beneath the platform 50, vertical side members 276, 278 and a tie rod 280. The side members 276, 278 are rigidly braced at their upper ends by the tie rod 280 which is fastened thereto by nuts 282. The lower ends of the side members 276, 278 are fastened to the horizontal casting 274 by shoulder bolts 284, secured by nuts 286, which pass through slots 288 in the platform side walls 56 and 58 (Figs. 1 and 2). Attached to the casting 274 are rolls 290, rotatably mounted on vertical and transverse axes, which ride on or against bearing surfaces 292 formed on the platform side walls 56 and 58 (Fig. 2). This arrangement permits forward and rearward movement of the gripper carriage support 272 relative to the platform 50. A gripper carriage 294 (Figs. l, 2 and 14) on which the grippers 268 and 270 are mounted, is of a hollow boxlike construction, having a front wall 296, a rear wall 298, side walls 300, 302 and a bottom wall 303 with a bracket member 304 attached to the left side wall 302. Lugs 306, 308 are formed on upper extensions of the right-hand side wall 300 and the member 304. Lugs 310, 312 are formed on downward extensions of the rightand lefthand walls 300, 302 (as viewed from the front of the machine, Fig. 14) and rolls 314 are rotatably mounted on the lugs 306, 308, 310 and 312 on axes extending longitudinally and transversely of the machine and bearing on guide surfaces 316 formed on four guide mem-l bers 318 attached to the upper ends of the rightand left-hand side members 276, 278 of the gripper carriage support 272 (Fig. 2). The gripper carriage 294 is thus permitted to move vertically relative to the gripper car` riage support 272 and, since the support 272 is movable longitudinally, the grippersmounted in the gripper car-A 7 riage are by this construction permitted to move vertically and longitudinally in relation to the platform 50.

Longitudinal motion is imparted to the gripper carriage support 272 and thus to the carriage 294 and grippers 268, 270 by the following mechanism. A link 320 (Fig. 1) is pivotally connected to the front end of the horizontal member 274 at 322, its other end being pivotally connected at 324 to the upper end of a three-armed lever 326 which in turn is pivotally mounted upon the shaft 236 that is supported in a manner previously described. Cam rolls 328 and 330 rotatably mounted on the ends of the other two arms of the lever 326 bear against cam surfaces 332 and 334 of a conjugate cam 336, secured to the shaft 256 which is driven in a counterclockwise direction, as previously explained. Thus the action of the conjugate cam 336 causes the member 326 to oscillate and impart a reciprocating motion to the casting 274 and also tothe gripper carriage 294.

Vertical motion is imparted to the gripper carriage 294 and thus to the grippers 268, 270 by the compound action of the following mechanisms. The gripper carriage 294 is restrained from downward movement by rolls 338 (Fig. 2) rotatably mounted on lugs 340, 342 formed on the side members 276, 278 of the gripper carriage support 272, upon which rolls rest cams 344, 346. These cams are secured to a shaft 348 which is rotatably mounted in bearings (Fig. 14) 350, 352 formed in the rightand left-hand walls 300, 302 of the gripper carriage 294. The shaft 348 passes through a slot 355 in the side member 278 of the gripper carriage support 272, and is supported at its outer end by a bearing 354 (Fig. 2) formed in the member 304. Attached to the shaft 348 (Fig. 15) is a miter gear 356 which meshes with a mating miter gear 358 attached to a shaft 360 rotatably mounted in a bearing 362 formed in the member 304, vertical movement of the shaft 360 being prevented by a collar 364 attached to said shaft immediately below the member 304. A spline 366 is formed on the end of the shaft 360 and engages a mating spline coupling 368 attached to a shaft 370 the upper end of which is rotatably mounted in a bracket 372 fastened to the left-hand member 278 of the gripper carriage support 272, with the lower end rotatably mounted in a bracket 374 attached to said left-hand member 27.8. Vertical movement of the shaft 370 is prevented by a collar 376 which is attached to the shaft immediately below the bracket 372 and another collar 378 attached to the shaft 370 immediately above the bracket 374. A miter gear 380 is attached to the lower end of the shaft 370 and meshes with a mating miter gear 382 attached to a horizontal shaft 384 whose rearward end is rotatably mounted in the bracket 374, and which has a spline 386 formed on its forward end. Horizontal movement of the shaft 384 is prevented by the miter gear 382 on one side of the bracket 374 and a collar 387 secured to said shaft on the opposite side of the bracket. The spline 386 engages a corresponding spline 388 formed in the bore of a member 390 which is rotatably mounted in a bearing 392 formed in a bracket 394 attached to the lefthand platform bracket 240. A miter gear 396 is formed on the member 390 and engages a mating miter gear 398 secured to the left-hand end of shaft 256 which is driven in a manner previously explained. Horizontal movement of the member 390 is prevented by the miter gear 396 and a collar 400 attached to the member 390 and bearing on the opposite side of the bracket 394. With this arrangement the shaft 348 may be rotated as vertical and longitudinal motion is imparted to the gripper carriage 294. Such rotation causes the cams 344, 346 to raise or lower the gripper carriage 294. To assist the cams 344, 346 in thus raising the gripper carriage 294 the following mechanism is utilized. Rightand left-hand lifting members 402, 404 (Figs. 1 and 2) are pivotally mounted on a transverse shaft 406 secured to brackets 238, 240 and have cam rolls 408 rotatably mounted on their lower portions. These cam yrolls .bear against 'cams-410, 412 which are secured to the shaft 256 that is driven in a manner previously explained. During the operation of the apparatus the members 402, 404 rotate clockwise as seen in Fig. 1 so that the lifting surfaces 414 formed on these members are below rods 416, 418 which are slidably mounted in brackets 420 attached to the side members 276, 278 of the gripper carriage support 272, downward movement of these rods 416, 418 being limited by collars 422 secured thereto. The gripper carriage support 272 moves rearward under the action of the three-armed lever 326 so that the rods 416, 418 are above the surfaces 414, at which time the members 402, 404 rotate counterclockwise lifting the rods 416, 418 causing them to engage plates 424 aixed to the lower lugs 310, 312 thereby assisting the cams 344, 346 in raising the gripper carriage 294.

The grippers 268, 270 which seize the counter blanks that have been separated from the stack are constructed in the following manner. The rightand lefthand grippers 268, 270 are identical in construction; therefore only the left-hand gripper will be described and the same reference characters will be used to designate corresponding parts in the other gripper. The grippers each comprise a pair of jaws 426, 428 (Figs. 12 and 13), the jaw 426 preferably having a prick pin 430 inserted therein and the jaw 428 having a corresponding recess 432. The jaw 426 is formed on a jaw arm 434 which is secured to a horizontal member 436 provided with a bifurcated section 438 which receives a second jaw arm 440, pivoted thereon about a fulcrum pin 442. The jaw 428 is formed on the lower end of the arm 440 which has an upward extension 444. A torsion spring 446 is wound around the fulcrum screw 442, one end being secured in the bifurcated section 438 of the member 436 and the other bearing upon the outside of the jaw 428 in such a manner that the jaws are normally held in their closed position as shown in Fig. 12. The horizontal member 436 is fastened by a nut 448 to a vertical rod 450 which has a bore 452 for receiving a compression spring 454 and which is mounted in a sleeve 456 that has a spring screw 458 threaded in its upper end and locked by a check nut 460. A vertical slot 462 is cut in the sleeve 456 in which rides a pin 464 that is pressed into the vertical rod 450. Thus the pin 464 riding in the slot 462 prevents relative angular movement between the bar 450 and the sleeve 456 and also limits the downward movement of the bar 450 in relation to the sleeve 456 due to the action of the spring 454 While allowing it to yield upwardly. A flange 466 is formed on the sleeve 456 having an arcuate slot 468 (Fig. 14) through which a screw 470 passes and is threaded into a gripper trolley 472. Thus it is possible to adjust the angular position of the gripper jaws 426, 428 and clamp them relative to the gripper trolley 472 by means of the arcuate slot 468 and screw 470. The gripper trolley 472 has rotatably mounted thereon four rolls 474 mounted in a longitudinal plane and four rolls 476 mounted in a vertical plane which ride on surfaces 478, 480 respectively formed on a guideway 482. The guideway 482 contains a slot 484 through which passes the sleeve 456, with a spring (not shown) urging the trolley outwardly against the outer end of the slot 484. Each guideway 482 is secured to a shaft 486 (Fig. 2) that is rotatably mounted in a bearing 488 projecting from the rear wall 298 of the gripper carriage 294 (Fig. 14), there being a collar 490 secured to the upper end of the shaft 486 and resting upon the bearing 488 preventing vertical movement of said shaft (Fig. 2). Attached to the lower end of each of the shafts 486 and below the guideway 482 is a pinion 492 which meshes with a rack slide 494 that is slidably mounted upon a guide bar 496. said guide bar being attached to the gripper carriage 294 (Fig. 14). Links 498 (Fig. 10) are pivotally connected 'to the two racks 494 at 500 and at their other ends are pivotally connected to rightand left-hand depending arms 502 by means of slots 504, one of these arms only appearing in Fig. 10. The arms 502 are integral, and are pivotally mounted on a transverse shaft 506 which is supported on the gripper carriage 294, there being a single cam roll S08 rotatably mounted on an upper extension 509 of the arms 502 which is held by a tension spring 510, connected between the front wall 296 of the gripper carriage 294 and a spring rod 512 extending from the extension 509, against a cam 514 secured to the shaft 348 which is driven in a manner previously described. In operation, the cam 514 imparts a reciprocating motion to the racks 494 thus causing the guideways 482 and the grippers 268, 270 to swing about the axes of the shafts 486.

As was mentioned above, the gripper jaws 426, 428 are normally held in a closed position by the spring 446; therefore the following mechanism is provided to open these jaws so that they may receive blanks which have been separated from the stack 70. Rightand left-hand units are provided for each gripper and, inasmuch as these units are of similar construction, only one will be described, with the Same reference characters used to denote corresponding parts of both units. The spring 446 is overcorne and the jaw 428 is swung away from the jaw 426 by means of a button-headed screw 516 (Figs. 13 and 14) which engages the upper extension 444 of the jaw arm 440 (Fig. 13). Each of the headed screws 516 is threaded into an arm 520 and secured in an adjustable position thereon by a check nut 522. The arms 520 (Figs. 1l and 14) are pivotally mounted on fulcrum pins 518 which are each secured to a projection 524 extending from the rear wall 298 of the gripper carriage 294 (Fig. 14). Shorter arms 526 are formed integrally with the arms 520, and links 528 having ball ends 530 and 532 connect these arms to the lower ends of two levers 534 which are pivotally mounted on the transverse shaft 506. Each of these levers has on its upper end a roll 536 which is held, by means of a spring 538 connected between the front wall 296 of the gripper carriage 294 and a spring rod 540 on the lever 534, against a cam 542 secured to the shaft 348 which is driven in a manner previously explained. Thus the action of the cam 542 causes the arms 526, 520 to oscillate about the fulcrum pins 518 whereby the headed screws 516 strike the projections 444 causing the gripper jaws 426, 428 to open, at the proper time in the operating cycle, to receive a blank which has just been separated from the stack 70 by the lifter fingers 180, 182.

Occasionally in the operation of the apparatus, it may happen that a blank remains in the grippers 268, 270 after the jaws 426, 428 have been opened. Therefore the following apparatus is provided to insure that the grippers are clear to commence a new cycle. Similarly constructed rightand left-hand units of this mechanism are employed; only one of which will be described with the same reference characters used to designate the corresponding parts of each unit. A clearing finger 544 is located adjacent to each of the grippers 268, 270 (Figs. 1-3 and 14). Each finger 544 is attached to a lever 546 (Figs. 14 and 16) which is pivoted about a pin 548 mounted on a bracket 550 secured to the bottom wall 303 of the gripper carriage 294. A rod 552 is pivotally connected to the lever 548 at 544 and passes upwardly through a hole 556 in the bottom wall 303, having its upper end pivotally connected to a lever 558 at 560 (Fig. 16). The levers 558 are each rotatably mounted Ona transverse shaft 562 secured to the gripper carriage 294, and carry a cam roll 564 which is held by a spring 566, acting between the bottom wall 303 and a spring rod 568 connected to the lever 558, against a cam 570 secured to the shaft 348 which is driven in a manner previously explained. In operation the cams 570 cause the fingers 544 to oscillate quickly in a downward path, when the jaws 426, 428 are held open by the button-headed screw 516, at the beginning of each, operating cycle and before a counter blank has been inserted therein, in order positively to remove any blank which has inadvertently remained in said jaws during the previous operating cycle.

To the rear of the loading platform 50, i. e. to the right as viewed in Fig. 1, is a presenting device (Figs. 1 and 22) indicated generally by the reference character 572 which is of similar construction and operation as the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,178,133 granted October 3l, 1939, on an application filed in the name of L. H. Bennion, and is herein illustrated as attached to a counter molding machine (Fig. 22) indicated generally by the reference character 574, of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,742,300 granted January 7, 1930, on an application iled in the name of L. H. Bennion. The presenting device 572 comprises a main casting 576, having bores 578 in rightand left-hand lugs 580 (Figs. 17 and 18) in which are inserted trunnion pins 582 (Fig. 22), that are pivotally mounted in downwardly yieldable blocks 584, supported at the upper extremities of two levers 586 associated with the counter molding machine (Fig. 22). Rightand left-hand outer jaws 588 (Figs. 17 and 19) are attached to the casting 576 by screws 590, and cooperating therewith are rightand left-hand inner jaws 592, formed on the ends of bell crank levers 59 which are pivotally mounted on pins 596 secured to the casting 576 (Fig. 20). Fingers 692, attached to the casting S76 assist in properly locating counter blanks between the jaws 588, 592. The bell crank levers 594 have bifurcated ends 598 in which links 600 are pivotally connected the other ends of said links being pivotally connected to bifurcated sections 602 of arms 604 which are attached to short shafts 606 that are pivotally mounted in lugs 608 formed on the casting 576. Arms 610, secured to the shaft 606 beneath the lugs 608 have therein ball sockets 612 in which rest one of the ends of two short rods 614 the other ends of which rest in ball sockets 616 formed in a toggle member 618. Pins 620 located in the arms 610 are connected by a tension spring 622. The toggle member 618 is secured to a longitudinal shaft 624 which extends to the opposite or forward end of the presenting device, being rotatably mounted in bearings 626 formed in the casting 576 (Fig. 19). A pinion 628, formed on the forward end of the shaft 624, meshes with a rack 630 (Fig. 20) formed on a member 632 which is slidably mounted on a transverse shaft 634, rotatably mounted in projections 636, 638 of the main casting 576. Key pieces 640, attached to the member 632, are confined in slots 642 and 644 cut in the projections 636 and 638 thereby preventing rotation of the member 632. A transverse slot 646 is made in the member 632 allowing clearance for a spring pin 648, inserted in the shaft 634, and a coil spring 650 is connected at one end to this pin and at its other end to a member 652 which is secured by a screw 654 to an extension 656 of the casting 576. The spring 650 tends to rotate the l shaft 634 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 17.

A latching member 658 secured to the shaft 634 normally prevents rotation of said shaft when a latch 668 having a tooth 674 engages a notch 676 in the member 658. Also formed on the latching member 658 is a cam surface 660 (Fig. 20) against which rides one end of a cam pin 666, slidably mounted in the lug 638 of the casting 576, whose other end abuts the member 632 which is yieldingly held against the pin 666 by compression springs 664 mounted in holes 662 formed in the lug 636 of the casting 576. The latch 668 is pivotally mounted at 670 to a projection 672 of the casting 576 and the tooth 674 is held in engagement with the notches 676 by a spring 678, connected between a spring hook 680 secured to an extension of the latch 668 and another spring hook 682 secured to the projection 672. A slot 684 is formed in the latch 668 into which extends the shaft 634 to limit the rotational movement of the latch 668. A roll 686 is rotatably mounted on a pin 688 secured to the latch 668.

The jaws of the presenting device are normally open andere .619,861.19 .grasa a 991.19m blanke. the. following.

manner. An abutment plate 690 (Fig. 1) attached to the horizontal member 274 of the gripper carriage support 272 strikes the roll 686, as the member 274 is moved rearwardly thus depressing the latch 668 and allowing the latching member 658 to rotate in a clockwise direction (Fig. 17), under the action of the spring 650, whereupon the member 632 moves to the left (Fig. as the cam pin 666 follows the cam surface 660 under the action of the springs 662. This rotates the shaft 624 and the toggle member 618 in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 2l) permitting the arms 610 to move inwardly, under the action of the spring 622, thereby causing the links 600 to move to the right (Fig. 19) and to rotate the bell crank levers 594 in directions to close the jaws 592 against a counter blank and the fixed jaws 588.

A counter blank thus held in the jaws 588, 592 is inserted into the molds of the counter molding machine 574 in the following manner. The presenting device is mounted on levers 586, as previously explained, and these levers are interconnected by a bracket 697 and are pivotally mounted upon a shaft 694, secured to the male die holder 696 of the counter molding machine 574. A short arm 69S, which is integral with one of the levers 586, extends downwardly and is pivotally connected at 7 00 to a frictional yield casing 702. Lugs 704 project downwardly from this casing containing compression springs 706 which bear against a friction block 708, the pressure being variable through adjustment of screws 710. The friction block 708 bears against a slide member 712 which is pivotally connected at 714 to one arm of an A-shaped lever 716 that is pivotally supported on a shaft 718, associated with the molding machine 574. The other arm of the lever 716 carries a cam roll 720 which engages a cam 722 attached to a timing shaft 724 of the molding machine which operates in the manner disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,118,393, granted May 24, 1938, in the names of L. H. Bennion and W. A. Smart. Extending downwardly from the main casting 576 of the presenting device is an arm 726 to which one end of a link 728 is pivotally connected at 730, its other end being pivotally connected at 732 to a lever 734, this lever, in turn, being pivotally mounted on the shaft 694. A dog 736 is secured to the lever 734 and engages a latch 738 secured to the male die holder 696. A plunger 740 slidably mounted in said die holder and acted upon by a spring 742 maintains the dog '736 in engagement with the latch 738 thereby limiting the motion of the lever 734. A lug 744 is also attached to the male die holder 696 and a slotted link 746, pivotally connected to this lug and engaging a pin 748 attached to the bracket 697, limits movement of the arms 586. Thus, in operation, when the member 716 is rotated counterclockwise by the cam 722, the casing 702 and the slide 712 act as a solid member rotating the short arm 698 and the levers 586 in a counterclockwise direction, the lever 734 remaining stationary due to the action of the spring 742 and the plunger 740. Such movement of the levers 586 causes the presenting device to rotate clockwise with respect to the arms 586, because of the action of the link 728, until the presenting device has rotated approximately 85 whereupon a stop screw 750, attached to the presenting device strikes an abutment 752 upon the member 697. During the remaining rotational movement of the arms 586, the lever 734 moves with it, against the resistance of the spring 742, and the presenting device moving on a iiat arc inserts the counter blank into the molding machine. There is some further throw to the cam 722 to insure insertion of the blank and this further throw is absorbed by the friction device 702. Associated with the molding machine there is a retaining mechanism, shown in phantom view and indicated by the general reference character 754, which includes means for engaging a roll 756, rotatably mounted on the trunnion pin S82, to prevent the presenting device from rebounding away from the molding machine. This retaining mechanism is substantially like and operates in the same'manner 12 as that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,178,133 granted October 31, 1939, on an application tiled in the name of L. H. Bennion et al. The movement of the liange former 758, during the operation of the molding machine, releases the presenting device allowing it to return to its receiving position and an abutment 760, attached to the ange former strikes the latching member 658 and imparts it in a duration to move the member 632 to the right (Fig. 20) thereby opening the jaws 592 and allowing the dog 674 on the latch 668 to engage the notch 676 and hold the jaws 592 open.

Attached to the timing shaft 724 is a sprocket 762 which meshes with the chain 266 and drives the sprocket 264 in a clockwise direction (Fig. 1). Hence, the power transmission arrangement previously explained is activated in definite time relationship to the molding machine 574.

A description of an operational cycle of the apparatus, presenting device and molding machine will now be given more clearly to point out the novel features of applicants invention. Referring to the time chart (Fig. 24), the relative motions of the various operative elements are diagrammatically indicated thereon. A supply of notched counter blanks 70 rests upon the surface 54 of the platform 50 engaging the rib 62 and is held yieldingly against positive stops 64, 66, 68 by the presser members 132, 176, 178 and this stack of blanks is replenishable during the operation of the apparatus in the manner previously explained. The grippers 268, 270 are carried forwardly a sight amount during the initial portion of the cycle to a point where they are immediately above the rearmost blank in the stack 70 at the rear of the platform 50. During this time the gripper jaws 426, 428 are being opened by the button-headed screws 516 which are activated by the cams 542. The separating fingers 180, 182 are moving upwardly due to the action of the conjugate cam 254 in a manner which is clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, so that the shoulders 188 lift the rearmost blank of the stack upwardly. Coordinated with this upward movement of the lifting ngers is a downward movement of the gripper carrier 294 and the grippers 268, 270 in such a manner that the blank is inserted between the jaws 426, 428, at which time the button-headed screws 516 are moved outward allowing said jaws to close. The ejector blades 544 have, in the meantime, been operated to clear any counter blank which has remained inadvertently in the grippers 268, 270, while the gripper jaws are opened and before the new blank has been inserted. The gripper carrier remains in its forwardmost and partially downward position as the separating fingers retract downwardly. Now the gripper carriage moves rearwardly carrying the blank, which has been lifted above the positive stops 64, 66, 68 (Fig. 5), during which rearward movement the grippers are swung inwardly about the shafts 486 under the action of the cam 514, thus forming the counter blank substantially into a U shape. After the counter blank has thus been formed the gripper carrier is lowered to insert the blank with the aid of the fingers 692 between the jaws 588 and 592 of the presenting device 572, the grippers 268, 270 yielding upwardly against the springs 454 (Fig. 12) to insure that the blank is fully inserted between the jaws 588, 592. A slight further rearward movement is then imparted to the gripper carriage 294 causing the abutment plate 690 to strike the roll 686 on the latch 668 of the presenting device, thereby causing the blank to be gripped between the jaws 588, 592 (Figs. 5 and 6). During this additional rearward movement of the gripper carriage, the gripper trolleys 472, 472 are permitted to yield forwardly by the action of springs (not shown) the sleeves 456, 456, sliding in the slots 484, 484. After the blank is thus gripped, the grippers 268, 270 are swung slightly inwardly in such a manner that the upper projections 444 on the jaw arms 440 contact the bar 496 and open the gripper jaws 426, 428 (Fig. 6). With these jaws thus held open the gripper carriage is lifted vertically primarily by the action of the lifting members 402, 404 and then moved forwardly, at which time the presenting device 572 is operated to insert the blank in the molding machine 574 which forms the blank into a iinished counter 764 (Fig. 23). It will be noted that the presenting device operates during that portion of the cycle when the separating fingers, ejector blades and gripper-opening mechanism are operated. In this manner the operation of the presenting device is to an extent independent and permits a shorter operating cycle of the counter handling apparatus and molding machine.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an apparatus for handling counter blanks the combination with means for separating blanks one at a time from a supply, of a pair of grippers, a gripper carrier, a sub-frame on which the gripper carrier s mounted, a main frame on which the sub-frame s mounted, means for causing the grippers to seize a separated blank, means for rotating the grippers inwardly toward each other thereby forming the blank into a U-shape, and means for imparting vertical and horizontal movement to said frame and said sub-frame whereby the U-shaped blanks are conveyed one at a time to a presenting device.

2. The apparatus Of claim 1 wherein said frame is moved horizontally and the sub-frame is moved vertically with respect to said frame and where the rotating means are operative during the movement of said frame and sub-frame.

3. In an apparatus for handling counter blanks, the combination with means for separating blanks one at a time from a supply, of a pair of grippers, an arm on which each gripper is slidably mounted, yieldable means tion above said presenting device and then vertically to insert the blank in the presenting device, said presenting device having yieldably closed jaws, a latching mechanism for normally maintaining said jaws in an open position, means associated with said gripper moving means for actuating said latching mechanism whereby the jaws of the presenting device seize the blank and said grippers may then yield as further motion is imparted to the gripper moving means in a horizontal plane.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said grippers are mounted for yieldable motion with respect to said arms whereby said grippers can yield in response to vertical motion of the gripper moving means as the U-shaped blank is being inserted in the presenting device.

5. In apparatus for handling counterblanks, the combination with means for separating blanks one at a time from a supply, of grippers adapted to seize a separated blank, means for moving said grippers inwardly toward each other thereby forming the blank into a U-shape, a presenting device for inserting said blank into a counter holding machine, means for moving said grippers from said separating means to said device, and means for transferring the U-shaped counter from the grippers to the presenting device.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 731,221 Reinhardt June 16, 1903 831,851 Frain Sept. 25, 1906 1,014,226 Jones Ian. 9, 1912 1,118,554 Jones Nov. 24, 1914 1,154,237 Dixon Sept. 21, 1915 1,381,126 Jones June 14, 1921 1,421,947 Jones July 4, 1922 1,471,261 Heath Oct. 16, 1923 1,517,337 Ayer Dec. 2, 1924 1,517,695 Ayer Dec. 2, 1924 1,856,296 Spadafora May 3, 1932 1,982,823 Meredith Dec. 4, 1934 

